045: Trading the Stage, Not the Shortcut: Integrity, Identity, and Just Doing the Thing

Matt and Anne dig into what it really looks like to step into a new identity before you feel ready. Anne shares a major personal and business shift—repositioning Fix & Form as a Denver branding firm, committing to local growth, and finally claiming “speaker” as part of her professional identity.

The conversation goes deep on integrity versus shortcuts, why faking momentum rarely matters, and how real traction often comes from doing the uncomfortable, unscalable work—applying, asking, pitching, and showing up. Matt challenges the idea that perfection or polish creates opportunity, while Anne walks through narrowing her focus to just two goals: booking a keynote and selling brand therapy sessions as a standalone offer.

If you’ve been stuck between knowing what you want to do and actually doing it, this episode is a reminder that clarity often follows action—not the other way around.

🚨 Stuff You’ll Want to Remember:

• “If it works, are you going to be proud of how you got there?” — Anne
• “Most things don’t matter. Measure by impact.” — Matt
• “You don’t become the thing by thinking about it—you become it by doing it.” — Anne

📡 Where to Find Us

• Anne → Fix & Form - LinkedIn
• Matt → ChipBot - LinkedIn